Thread: Sept. 9, 2008 Transatlantic from Barcelona

Originally Posted by gkm

Bob and I leave for the airport for our trip to Barcelona 3 weeks from today!!!!! It won't be long now!!!!

Garry

I probably need to correct our countdown timer for the trip. We had originally scheduled a 10:25am flight from Denver to Philly, with the Philly to Barcelona leg following within a couple of hours. Seems they canceled our 10:25pm flight, and had rebooked us on a 7:00am flight to Philly without letting me know. There's a 1:30pm flight, but by the time we'd get to Philly, the Barcelona flight would already be long gone.

Given that the whole itinerary is "international", they wanted us and our luggage at the Denver airport at 5:00am. That just wasn't gonna happen. Our ground transportation service doesn't want to hear about 4:00am pickups, and I SURE don't want to hear about a 3:00am alarm clock to start a vacation.

So we're out a day ahead now, leaving the 5th at 1:30pm, and we'll have much of the 6th to goof around in Philly before leaving for Barcelona. Think we'll take in the Franklin Museum ... have somehow missed that on previous visits, and it's just a few stops from the train station at the airport.

Chris, we're keeping a close eye on our connections too. We fly on KLM from Atlanta to Amsterdam and only have 1-1/2 hours between our connection for our flight from Amsterdam to Barcelona. I must admit I'm a bit nervous about that one. I sure hope we have a tail wind and arrive early!

That's a really long day you and Charline are going to have. I hope you're able to sleep on the plane!

Garry

Originally Posted by gkm

Chris, we're keeping a close eye on our connections too. We fly on KLM from Atlanta to Amsterdam and only have 1-1/2 hours between our connection for our flight from Amsterdam to Barcelona. I must admit I'm a bit nervous about that one. I sure hope we have a tail wind and arrive early!

That's a really long day you and Charline are going to have. I hope you're able to sleep on the plane!

Garry

We had about 2-1/2 hours layover in Philly with the original 10:25am flight. Figured that was pretty safe. You've got an advantage -- at least when you land after the 1st flight, you'll be on the right continent. And we're all leaving early, so no fear that Constellation will leave without us.

The "long day" in Philadelphia will probably HELP us get some sleep on the plane. We'll get up and have a leisurely breakfast, and head out. There will be a lot of walking from the train station to the Franklin (and perhaps Mudder) museums, and plenty while we're there. So the trans-Atlantic snooze (with some help from my friend Ambien) may be in order.

We're off with the grandson for his first real camping trip this weekend... as "real" as it gets at a Jellystone facility, anyway. Not exactly roughing it, but we figured we'd break him in easy. It will be enough to get him out of his nice warm sleeping bag Saturday morning, out of the tent, and in front of the fire for breakfast. Our long dry spell ended here a few weekends ago, and we are REALLY hoping that the weather holds for this weekend in a way that it surely hasn't for the last few. The thought of spending a weekend in a tent with a bored 5 year old doesn't quite work for me!

Chris, I live just outside of Philadelphia and I can tell you that the Franklin Institute is a great way to kill some time. They currently have a pirate exhibit which is wonderful. There are some renovations going on, but nothing big. Where will you be staying?

Originally Posted by Trixsea

Chris, I live just outside of Philadelphia and I can tell you that the Franklin Institute is a great way to kill some time. They currently have a pirate exhibit which is wonderful. There are some renovations going on, but nothing big. Where will you be staying?

At the Hilton, Philly airport. Figure I'll get the hotel to take us over to the airport, and grab the train to Suburban Station. Not too bad a walk to the Franklin from there.

I hear the Mütter museum is quite the event, too, and is just a few blocks away. "Disturbingly Informative" seems to be the catch phrase for this outfit! Check out the "virtual tour" at museum

Quite the freak show...

Chris, since you're not active on the DS roll call, you're probably not aware that a group of us are planning to meet for Sangria on the 8th at 6:00. Would you and Charline be interested in joining us?

Also, as on previous cruises, I'm offering people my "cheat sheet" which is a smaller pdf or Word version of Bob's website. If you're interested in receiving one, let me know.

Bob and I will be in Barcelona 2 weeks from today.

Garry

Have you been to the National Constitution Center? A bit of a long walk, but still interesting. Or you could take the train to 8th and Market and walk Market to the center.

I have never been to the Mutter. A little strange, but interesting.

Wow...Garry....2 weeks I do look at the countdown clock all the time, but your post really brought it home. Knowing you....you are much farther along in the packed and prepped phase than I am

I really was doing very well.....but the painter I've waited for most of the summer showed up yesterday and other little obstacles are entering into my organizatiion. Funny how life keeps us on our toes!

Hi Chris and Charlene....hope to see you at our sangria gathering on the 8th. If not...we'll say hi over our balcony divider on the Connie.

We are so looking forward to seeing everyone and especially all the owls.

Pat

Just 2 weeks!!

Originally Posted by gkm

Chris, since you're not active on the DS roll call, you're probably not aware that a group of us are planning to meet for Sangria on the 8th at 6:00. Would you and Charline be interested in joining us?

Also, as on previous cruises, I'm offering people my "cheat sheet" which is a smaller pdf or Word version of Bob's website. If you're interested in receiving one, let me know.

Bob and I will be in Barcelona 2 weeks from today.

Garry

Sure... if I read that correctly, that would be right after we get back from the Montserrat tour, plus a 30 minute break to clean up and get sober after the winery tour. Perhaps after that, we can see what's open for dinner before 9:00pm! These folks DO like to eat late.

And yes, that cheat sheet would be great. Either format is fine, although the PDF may well be a bit smaller since it usually compresses any graphics.

Since you get there early, remember: it's up to you to scout out all of the good spots for the rest of us before we get there.